Rossi grabs poll

The West Australian

Sunday, 19 July 2009 1:39PM

Italy's Valentino Rossi grabbed pole position under the rain for the German Moto Grand Prix on Saturday.

The Yamaha rider clocked 1min 32.52sec to snatch top spot by just 0.640sec from Spanish teammate Jorge Lorenzo for his third pole of the season after Japan and the Netherlands and the 54th of his career.

Australian Casey Stoner was third fastest at 1.239sec ahead of American Nicky Hayden who finished fourth after surviving a dramatic fall in treacherous conditions which brought down six riders.

"Conditions were really tough," said Rossi after registering his first ever pole at the Sachsenring circuit.

"There was a river running through the track at one point. So it's a really important pole. But I hope, like everyone, that we'll have nice weather tomorrow (Sunday)."

"This morning I was really fast in dry conditions and I posted consistent times this afternoon," noted Lorenzo.

"At the end it was becoming very slippy and I wasn't taking any chances," he added.

Lorenzo has been offered an estimated five million euro to ride for Honda next season but Yamaha are hopeful of keeping their Rossi/Lorenzo 'dream team' together for 2010.

Stoner paid tribute to the pole setters, saying: "While everyone else was sliding around it was as if they were on rails. They are clearly the guys to beat tomorrow, whether the track is wet or dry."

Behind the top three, Hayden, San Marino's Alex De Angelis and Frenchman Randy De Puniet make up the second row.

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, winner of the US MotoGP, clocked just the eighth fastest time behind American Colin Edwards and Italian Loris Capirossi.

The torrential rain produced a series of spectacular falls, including Alex De Angelis who was flung onto the tarmac while his bike continued at full speed towards the barrier where it burst into flames.

Weather forecasts Sunday are for dry conditions and temperatures of 20 degrees celsius.

In 250cc, qualifying world champion Marco Simoncelli grabbed his second pole of the season, while Spain's Julian Simon will set off from the front in the 125cc division.